Is it Just Me/ Embarassed Elk hunter

[fishngamereaper]

So I recently spent a couple weeks in the Rimrock with my bull tag. Maybe I will post a story later. The one thing that got me was how people act these days when elk season rolls around. Seems common sense is completley gone.

I know some people get away to just relax, not really to hunt, Thats fine. And maybe its because I generally dont hunt elk around alot of people( I normaly hunt peaches and generally dont have a camp within a mile or two of me.)

Some of the things I witnesses that really got to me.$@#@##

Littering was out of control. Trash everywhere. I picked up what I could but man its hard to keep up with some of these guys.

Reckless driving, really 40-50 on a quad will get you killed when you hit my full size chevy. And when you tow a trailer dont do 60 on a two lane road thats meant to be driven at 40....

Shooting, everywhere, all hours. Full auto/ semi you name it. If your going hunting try sighting your rifle in before you leave, it works just the same as the day before or opening day.

Road hunting.....argh I wont go there.

Cutting firewood. I dont care, did it myself. But when you fall a tree cut it where it fell. Dont hook a chain to it and drag it a half mile back to camp so you can cut wood and drink beer.  You just made a 8" deep rut in the road that starts a thing called errosion...

Dogs...really. guess I didnt know so many people brought dogs to elk camp. Guess it doesnt matter much, but when you let them run off leash and they chase passing trucks down the road 100 yards, be prepared for them not to come back when you call them.

Its no wonder private timber companies are limiting access, I can see the same thing in the future for public lands if these type of behaviors continue.

Anyway.. Rant over.....I did run in to some cool guys, and only saw one other person in the woods when I was actually hunting. Learned some new country, saw some elk and filled my tag. All in all a good trip, just dont think I will ever hunt the Rock during general season...

[gotcha]

Should have seen them flying up lewis river hwy today. Cops could have wrote lots of tickets. Crazy

[bowhunterwa87]

One reason why I do not hunt modern firearm.....

[bowguy]

 

[pianoman9701]

Sounds like fun. I know a good archery shop when you're ready.

[fordpowerforever]

modern general season is nuts everywhere i think...its crazy here, people driving up and down every road regardless of who is down there and what there doing. no matter how good your secret spot can be if its near a road you can count on it being driven down ten times. only good thing i like about rifle elk season is the people get the roads pretty cleaned out for late season...

[jackelope]

Its no wonder private timber companies are limiting access, I can see the same thing in the future for public lands if these type of behaviors continue.

Unfortunately you can almost be guaranteed that some of the same people complaining about access to private timber company lands are the ones leaving all their camp trash in the woods. It's a sad state of affairs.

[fishngamereaper]

Sounds like fun. I know a good archery shop when you're ready.

Im almost there...I think after I draw my quality tag Im switching...maybe dust off the smoke pole to.

[Relish the Journey]

Its highly embarrassing and a shame. If it keeps up hunting on public land will be a thing of the past quicker than we think.

[ghosthunter]

One reason I went black powder for elk.

But even muzzy I saw some traffic but we were camped on a main path this year.
I am mixed on the ATVs.
Some guys are very respectful on their ATVs . But a lot mostly younger guys just flat out race up the roads. It is crazy how fast they go.

Litter I picked up some along the roads. I know it was thrown out during the week because I was up and down the road picking guys up. Why do people throw it out on the ground?

[elkchaser67]

Archery season can be just like that

[Cap.Silver]

I'm glad someone else noticed  I went to Manastash opening day  . What a ZOO  and I thought Mt.St.Helen was bad  How do people expect to find elk when there is elk camp every 1/2 mile apart all over the mountain ? There is signs "NO ATV's ,but I guess it doesn't apply during hunting season . Some people are just ignorant idiots .who feel entitled .

[ellensburgpo]

Its highly embarrassing and a shame. If it keeps up hunting on public land will be a thing of the past quicker than we think.

  completely agree. Our failure as a group to "police our own" will be a contributing factor when the non hunting majority takes a major swipe at our way of life.

[300rum]

Personally, I think it is a Yakima problem.  It is too close to Yakima and there is a different type of crowd up there. 

I forget about it every other year or so and go up to Rimrock to camp with the family and every year it surprises me how much of a dump it is.  This year I had to pick up a glass pipe in the camp we were at.  The kids couldn't play in the area on the edge of the camp, it was just a mess.

If I go over the hill to the Packwood area, things are pretty nice.  If I go into the Blues, things are pretty nice.  If I go up the Ahtanum or Rimrock, I can guarantee a mess.

It just attracts a different crowd.       

[h2ofowlr]

I like it when they drive up near a clear cut your sitting on and lock there doors with the car remote and it is chirping or when the alarm goes off.  Nothing says hunting season like that.